Encoding Memories

We can’t remember the moment just before falling asleep. The memory isn’t stored because we’re sleeping. A new memory takes around 60-90 seconds to reach long-term storage.

We can recall the time leading up to sleep, but the ‘drop-off’ moment is lost. Sleep-deprived brains won’t do too well in the memory encoding process. Similarly, as we saw last time, cognitive load further limits the retention of memories.

Encoding memories leads to learning. Learners then act on what they’ve remembered. Learning and memory are linked. Have you ever remembered something and couldn’t figure out why?

Acting on such a memory is next to impossible. Or your brain keeps looking for examples where it doesn’t apply.

It could be why the teaching of grammar fell out of favour.

Spoiler alert: it’s on its way back to Australian schools.

Remember the old ‘i before e, except after c’ rule? Or maybe not. It was one of those memories. Of course, there are so many exceptions, but it fell off the grammar wagon. Now, it’s largely redundant.

Grammar rules will fill up even the deepest cognitive capacity. Are they necessary? Of course! Pushing one rule into long-term memory will take the above amount of time.

Will it drift out of long-term memory? If we don’t act on it, it will. And that means using it through writing.